With young people under the age of 35 accounting for 71.1% of an estimated three million Namibians, the youth cannot be ignored as a decisive voting bloc.
But do they know that, by voting, they can influence issues that affect their lives? Bread and butter issues. What more motivation do they need?
In the United States of America, millennials were credited with the decisive vote in the 2012 election of Barack Obama for a second term as president. Obama won 67% of the national youth vote. And why was that? Obama was popular because he spoke to the interests of the young populace and advanced ideas and solutions to the challenges and concerns of the youth. And by voting for him, they indirectly had a say in what they hoped Obama and the country would do for them.
In contrast, Namibia’s presidential and national assembly elections have always witnessed the lacklustre participation of the youth. Youth voter apathy has always been a concern, reflecting how little interest they have in the political sphere. But little do they know how decisions made today on their behalf, because they are just not interested, will surely affect them.
Sentiments that politics does not affect their lives right now will slap them squarely in the face when they are older and experience the pressures of adulthood, be it, but not limited to, education, marriage, buying a house, medical aid, or even starting a business.
Excuses for not knowing how to vote, where to vote, or whom to vote for are unacceptable, and no youth can say, “I didn’t know”, not in this day and age with easy access to information on the internet.
This nonchalance is unacceptable; even saying that the exercise is fruitless because their votes do not count is a totally uneducated or ill-informed excuse. If that is the feeling, then they should not come back and say the government is useless and does not do anything for its people. Only those who vote can have a say, as voting will give them the power to speak up against the lack of accountability by political parties and politicians, such as corruption and lack of service delivery.
The youth are the largest voting populace and thus crucial to building stable and peaceful societies and developing policies that respond to their specific needs.
However, for young people to be adequately represented in political institutions, processes, and decision-making, and in particular in elections, they must know their rights and be given the necessary knowledge and capacity to participate in a meaningful way at all levels.
While most of the attention will be firmly on the candidates contesting the general election, we should not forget to tackle the elephant in the room: voter apathy, which has seen a significant number of eligible voters stay away from the polls. The last general election was marred by a low voter turnout, as only 60% of registered voters cast their votes. The situation is much worse when it comes to local authority and regional council elections, where turnout has been substantially poor.
There are many reasons why voters might be apathetic. Young people further appear disillusioned with the current state of affairs, resulting in a huge number staying away from polls. Lest we forget, the youth account for the largest voter bloc, and if this disillusionment is not effectively mitigated, it will not augur well for our democracy.
Thus, youth perspectives matter in a big way. In a country troubled by severe social and economic problems, including youth unemployment that has spiralled out of control, it would be advisable for politicians to put renewed focus on the bread-and-butter issues.
In addressing low voter turnout, parents and educators should step in as well and share information and knowledge about what happens during the process, from registering to putting a cross on the ballot paper.
The onus is also on the youth to stand up and be counted. Their majority as a voting bloc must have meaning beyond the walls of the Namibia Statistics Agency and the Electoral Commission of Namibia.
The real work begins with registration during the ECN’s mass registration exercise, which runs from 3 June to 1 August 2024.
The youth, too, should be eager to find out how the process works to exercise their right to vote by educating themselves. The politicians elected and their policies will impact their lives for sure.
Take part in day-to-day discussions on politics. Find out how the government works.
Maybe someday, far in the future, we will be able to vote online. But let’s face it, Namibia couldn’t manage the electronic voter machines used in one election in the past, so let’s not put too much faith into voting online.
This might also be more reason for a committed youth to be the driving force to explore more digital options to capitalise on the digital footprint of youth and their digital engagements.
In the meantime, the ECN is hard at work preparing for the elections in November. Yesterday, they started calling shortlisted candidates for registration officials. Eager to be a part of the election process and capitalise on the moment, many vehicle owners are busy getting the roadworthiness certificates of their cars to be used for the general registration of voters.
The ECN has also hosted a workshop for authorised representatives and members of political parties and associations to, among others, provide updates on the activities outlined for the electoral calendar.
Social media is also abuzz with information on the registration process. Even the registration points have been made known already, all while continuing voter and civic education sessions throughout the country.
While voting may not be the only step needed to achieve positive change in the country, it’s still a necessary first step.
The youth should thus care about politics and the decisions being made for them. Do not miss the opportunity to have a say, make a choice, and protect your interests.